The Future of Consumerist

Over the last twelve years, Consumerist has been a steadfast proponent and voice on behalf of consumers, from exposing shady practices by secretive cable companies to pushing for action against dodgy payday lenders. Now, we’re joining forces with Consumer Reports, our parent organization, to cultivate the next generation of consumer advocacy.

Stay tuned as Consumerist’s current and future content finds its home as a part of the Consumer Reports brand. In the meantime, you can access existing Consumerist content below, and we encourage you to visit Consumer Reports to read the latest consumer news.

This plan was also noted in a new McDonald’s filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission [PDF].

Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s USA President, admitted that the chain has lost “hundreds of millions” of visits to competitors since 2012, a trend the company is trying hard to turn around with initiatives like the new mobile app.

Customers will be able to access their app profiles — which can include their preferred payment methods and a customized list of menu favorites — on the touch-screen ordering kiosks McDonald’s has introduced to some U.S. stores already, the company says.

And for those who don’t feel like going out in public to get their food at all, McDonald’s says it’s experimenting with different delivery models, including partnering with third parties like GrubHub.

“Through enhanced technology to elevate and modernize the customer experience, a focus on the quality and value of our food and redefined convenience through delivery, we have a bold vision for the future and the urgency to act on it,” said CEO Steve Easterbrook.